Something's Got To Give
by onyxinlife
Summary: "Rika-chan's cute but too quiet" "She never hangs out with anyone" "She's weird" Rika's heard it all. From her family, her friends, even her own brother. She's hiding something. Would you like to find out? The story of Rika's years battling with herself.
1. Chapter 1

"Rika-chan!"

Kirihara Rika turned around and smiled when she found Yukimura Seiichi running towards her. He was unaccompanied today. Usually, after school he would go home with his two best friends Sanada Genichirou and Yanagi Renji.

"Yukimura-san" Rika bowed her head in acknowledgement.

"How many times have I told you to call me Seiichi, Rika-chan?"

"At least ten times this week" Rika replied and Yukimura chuckled.

"Where is your brother? I thought he would be going home with you after school since there's no tennis practice today" Yukimura asked.

"He stayed behind because his teacher wanted to tutor him in English. That's his worst subject, after all" Rika replied.

"Can I walk you home then?"

"I'm actually going to the street tennis courts to take pictures for my photography project. It's closer to the school than my home so I'd rather finish taking pictures and then go home" Rika replied.

"Let's go then" Yukimura said.

"Don't you have to go home, senpai?" Rika asked.

"No, no. I do enjoy the street tennis courts. It would be enjoyable to accompany you, Rika-chan" Yukimura replied.

"Alright then"

Rika and Yukimura walked along, enjoying the sunshine. Rika wasn't a girl to chatter on and on so Yukimura asked questions now and then just to break the silence. Rika replied in a few sentences and then fell silent again. Yukimura then looked up at the sky where cherry blossoms were fluttering in the breeze. He chuckled when he realised the situation they were in was like a scene out of a shojo manga.

They got to the tennis courts and Rika pulled out her camera. It wasn't a huge professional one but a simple digital one. She kept on snapping picture after picture of some tennis players and then whirled around to take a picture of Yukimura. He smiled when she giggled at his surprised expression in the photo.

"I'll print it out for you if you want" Rika offered.

Yukimura sat down on a bench to watch her. Rika was first introduced to him as a first year. She had come to him, Sanada and Yanagi after her twin brother had stormed off the court. She had apologised on his behalf and bowed profusely. Then she had said something that had ingrained into Yukimura's mind.

This wouldn't be happening if mother and father hadn't divorced.

A week later, Yanagi had approached Rika after school. He had invited her to lunch and she told them about her and Akaya's home life. Their parents had divorced just a month before the twins had started middle school. Akaya's frustration turned into anger and soon he was known as the devil on the tennis court. Rika, however, was a gentle soul who couldn't hurt a fly.

"Yukimura-san?"

Yukimura snapped out of his reverie and then smiled. Rika seemed worried and she gave a sigh of relief when she realised that Yukimura wasn't going to faint.

"Are you finished?" Yukimura asked.

"Yes. I'll buy you a drink take up for delaying you" Rika replied.

"You don't need to buy me anything. I'm quite alright waiting for you" Yukimura said.

Rika fiddled with her camera and then tucked it into her bag. They left the tennis courts and then began walking to Rika's home.

"Is your mother home?" Yukimura asked.

"No, she left for a two week business trip. Akaya and I are by ourselves" Rika replied.

Yukimura was ready to give up the spare rooms left by his elder brother and sister but he refrained. What he had learned from getting to know Rika was that she hated when people took pity on her. She also hated making other people uncomfortable or bother other people. They got to her home and Yukimura stopped right by the gate.

"Ne, Yukimura-san, will you go out on a date with me?" Rika asked suddenly.

Yukimura was speechless. Little, cute, shy Rika was asking him out? He admitted that she was plain adorable and he had sometimes thought of her in a romantic way but since she was Akaya's sister, he hadn't said a word.

"Rika-chan, this is out of the blue" Yukimura said finally.

"I've never been on a date before and the girls in my class were talking about their boyfriends and all that" Rika said.

"Rika-chan, isn't your first date supposed to be reserved for someone special?"

"Yukimura-san, you are special. You're amazing at tennis and Akaya looks up to you. Every other guy at school thinks of me as a quiet and shy child. Please go out with me on a date"

"Alright. Tomorrow afternoon at two, I'll pick you up after tennis practice" Yukimura said.

"Thank you. Ja ne"

Rika unlocked the gate and then walked through the front door of her home. Yukimura waved once before heading his own way. He smiled when he realised who exactly he was going to have a date with tomorrow. The next day, after the usual weekend tennis practice, he walked to Rika and Akaya's home.

The gate was unlocked so he walked up the pathway and knocked on the door. Rika answered the door and Yukimura nearly fell to the floor. He had never seen Rika out of her school uniform before. She was dressed in a green sundress and a white cardigan. Her curly black hair was tied up in its usual ponytail and she was wearing a pair of cream flats.

"You look very cute, Rika-chan" Yukimura commented and Rika nodded.

Yukimura led the way but then once again there was only silence accompanying them. He had a certain thought that was disturbing. Shy girls like Rika usually blushed at the drop of a hat. However, compliments or even jokes never made Rika flush at all. He glanced over at her and noticed her distracted because of the cracks of the pavement.

Yukimura led her to the movie theatre and then bought to tickets for an English movie. He had picked up from Akaya that his sister loved English movies. During the movie, while Rika was distracted, Yukimura couldn't help but think there was something wrong. Did Rika actually like him or not? Well, she was the one who had asked him out but why wasn't she responding to anything he was saying or doing?

He reached out and grasped her hand in his own. Rika froze but then focused on the movie. Yukimura nodded in satisfaction. Now that was a reaction he enjoyed. They finished the movie and Rika spoke tentatively about the movie and Yukimura commented despite not having paid attention.

It was only four when they got to the street tennis courts. Lots of tennis players were hitting on the courts and Yukimura felt amused as he watched them return easy shots.

"Tennis is like life" Rika suddenly commented.

"Hmm? Why do you think that?" Yukimura asked.

"In tennis you only have a split second or two to decide where you want the shot to go. If it goes to the wrong place then your opponent will easily reach it. But then, if you aren't experienced enough to hit properly then you can make it go out, giving your opponent the advantage" Rika explained.

"And in life you cannot take back the decision you've made, like in tennis. You're rather smart, Rika-chan" Yukimura said.

"Thank you, Yukimura-san. I must have made you very uncomfortable with what I said yesterday"

"It was rather surprising Rika-chan. I can understand the need for being at a level with your peers but you can take things at your own pace. You don't need to follow the pack" Yukimura explained.

"But I'm not normal, Yukimura-san. I'm not like all other girls" Rika said.

"What do you mean you're not normal?"

"Because I'm in love with my best friend" Rika said quietly.

"Your best friend?" Yukimura searched through his mind as he remembered a girl with brown hair and dark eyes. Rika was in love with her best friend. Did that mean? Yukimura looked down at the green eyed girl in shock.

Rika was in love with a girl?!

**Well this story might seem like a bit out of my usual writing scope. I've done stories in genres like supernatural, romance, humour, pain and yaoi. This is my attempt at trying to describe something my cousin lived through. The events and Rika's personality has come entirely her and she has lived through a period of her life like Rika's. I had no idea how much confusion and pressure she lived through. I'm sure there are many other people like her out there and this story is merely a reflection of her decisions. **

**Read and review if you wish to. **

**Thank you. **

**Onyxinlife.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Does that mean you're a..." Yukimura let his voice trail away. His brain refused to accept whatever Rika was telling him.

"I don't know. All I know is that I want to make Chiharu-chan smile. I never want to see her sad or cry" Rika replied.

They were seated on a stone bench in the park. Both held cans of soda in their hands. Yukimura glanced over at Rika who was seated elegantly with her legs together. He sighed.

"Who else knows about this?" Yukimura asked wearily,

"No one, except you"

"Why me?"

"I don't know" Rika's tone turned wistful. "I haven't even told Akaya yet. I thought you were the only person who wouldn't freak out on me and go crazy"

"I'm trying not to. How long have you..."

"Ever since we were kids" Rika replied quietly.

"So you've been thinking of kissing her, hugging her and-" "First it was innocent. I would feel that her hugs were extra warmer and her smiles extra cute. Then I realised I liked and I tried to suppress it. I came to accept it and tried dating other people. I dated a boy from my class for a bit and realised I didn't like it when he hugged me or even kissed me"

"And therefore you came to the realisation that what you were feeling was real" Yukimura finished.

"It's been a year. I went to her when my parents got divorced and stayed at her home with Akaya. Then I kissed her in her sleep a month ago"

"You kissed her?"

"While she was sleeping. I couldn't help myself. She never found out. Since then its been eating me up on the inside. I had to tell someone about this" Rika replied.

Yukimura glanced over at her. She looked almost ashamed of whatever she was feeling. It was true that there were gay men and woman in Japan but he had never met one who actually had feelings for another girl. Yukimura knew from Yanagi that many boys at school liked Rika but because of her brother, never approached her.

"What if I tell Akaya, Rika-chan?" Yukimura asked.

"I was going to tell him soon. He'll probably freak out but he won't be angry for long. He's my brother" Rika replied.

"You do know that Sanada likes you" Yukimura commented.

"I...didn't know that" Rika finally replied.

"What if you go out with him? Maybe you can find someone to move on with. He's liked you since last year. You could try and give him a chance" Yukimura suggested.

"I don't know, Yukimura-san. What if it doesn't work out?"

"You can try. He won't do anything you don't like. He's a man of honour and discipline" Yukimura replied.

"But...alright fine" Rika agreed.

"Excellent".

The next week at school, Rika found Sanada waiting for her at her shoe locker. The girls around her whispered when Rika went up to him.

"Good morning, Sanada-san" Rika greeted with a soft smile.

"Good morning. I'm sure you know why I'm here" Sanada replied.

"Yes, Yukimura-san told me during the weekend. Sanada-san, what he told me was I'm sure sincerely said by you. I would like to give you a chance since you are a man of honour"

"Then after tennis practice would you like to go for coffee?" Sanada asked.

"Of course" Rika replied.

Sanada nodded and then left briskly. Rika ignored the whispers around her and headed to her class.

_After school..._

"You don't have to wait for me, Rika-chan. We can always reschedule it for tomorrow" Sanada said.

"It's not a problem, Sanada-san. I usually do wait for Akaya after school. I'll just work on my composition for music class" Rika replied.

Sanada nodded and then headed to the club room. He was met by Yukimura's knowing smile and Yanagi reading an upside down book.

"Seems like you finally mustered up the courage, eh Gen?" Yukimura teased.

"It was because of your encouragement" Sanada replied with a small smile.

"It doesn't seem like she has feelings for you yet, Genichirou. She might if your date goes well" Yanagi said.

"Don't scare him, Renji. Genichirou, just be kind and nice to her. Conversation might be a little difficult but she enjoys origami and classical music. She doesn't have much tennis knowledge like the rest of us but give her a chance" Yukimura said.

"I'll try by best. It depends on her if she gives me a chance" Sanada said.

Rika sat on a stone bench at the front of the school. Her brother had already gone to eat ice cream with his senpais and she was waiting for Sanada. Yukimura emerged from the back of the school and smiled when he found her waiting.

"Rika-chan"

She looked up as Yukimura walked towards her.

"Hello, Yukimura-san" Rika said quietly.

"How are you feeling? Are you going on the date with Sanada?" Yukimura asked.

"I'm still wondering if I'm doing the right thing. One on hand, I feel like I'm betraying Chiharu-chan. On the other hand, I feel like I should move on" Rika replied.

"One date isn't going to change anything. You have the power to change how you feel" Yukimura said.

"I'll try my best" Rika replied.

"Good luck. Sanada should be here any minute now so I'll make myself scarce" Yukimura patted her head before going out of the school gates.

She bit her lip nervously. A hand came on her shoulder and she turned. Sanada stood there frowning but then his facial expression softened when she looked up him. He took her hand and then began leading her out of the school gates. She let him lead her and then let go of his hand. He looked down at her in confusion and then blushed when she placed a hand on his arm.

"We'll be going to Rosé Cafe. They have nice sweets" Sanada said.

"I like sweets. Especially the strawberry ones. I never give them to Akaya because he goes crazy when he eats sugar" Rika said.

Sanada smiled as she began talking about here friends and family. She had always been shy in front of him but he was glad to see her opening up and giving him a chance. They got to the cafe and Sanada bought her a piece of strawberry shortcake. She grinned and began began eating it up while he drank up his green tea. She offered him a bite of the cake but he shook his head, explaining that he didn't like sweets.

Overall, Sanada thought the date was a success. She had been friendly to him and given him a chance. She had smiled before leaning up on her tip toes and kissed him on the cheek.

"I had a nice time, Sanada-san. I would love it if we did something like this again" She said.

Sanada nodded and then said his goodbyes. As he left, Rika entered her house and closed the door securely behind her. She headed upstairs to do her homework and then smiled. She had had more fun than she had let on. She had given Sanada her answer. The ball was now in his court.

**I didn't expect to get two reviews for the first chapter. A big thank you to Rainswalker and Millenium Snow. Thank you to everyone who favorited and put this story on their alerts list. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. **

**Onyxinlife**


	3. Chapter 3

"Waiting for Akaya again, Rika-chan?" Yukimura asked as he walked towards Rika.

His dear little kouhai's sister was seated yet again on the bench reading a book. Yukimura recognised it as Yanagi's well read copy of translated poems by Mori Ogai. Rika looked up and smiled, her dimples appearing instantly.

"I haven't seen you all week. How was your date with Genichirou?"

"You just couldn't wait to ask" Rika said teasingly.

"I can't help it. I was the one who pushed him to ask you out so I need to know if my match making skills paid off" Yukimura said.

He sat himself down and Rika sighed before speaking. "The date went well enough but I can't really say what he felt about it. He's been the same as always".

"I could ask him to-" "No" Rika interrupted before Yukimura could go any further.

"Why not, Rika-chan?"

"I don't want you to be involved in everything. I know you're trying to help but this isn't something you can just force on me and him. You're just like the stupid counsellor who said she could take the gay part away from me by sending me to therapy after my parent's divorce. If he wants something more from me, he'll come to me when he wants to"

"Rika-chan, I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like I was trying to fix you. I'm trying to fix the pain you have inside you. Sanada will come to you eventually. I won't involve myself" Yukimura said.

"Thank you, senpai. If you don't mind, can you please check on Akaya for me?"

"Of course"

Yukimura stood up and then heard Kirihara walking towards his sister with the rest of the team.

"Rika!" Kirihara waved before coming to stand before his sister.

"Ready to go home, Akaya?" Rika asked with a sweet smile. She loved her brother more than anything in the world.

"Rika, I'm going to the cake shop with Marui senpai and Jackal senpai. You can come along if you want" Kirihara replied.

"I'm not really in the mood for cake and I've got homework to do so I'll head home first" Rika said.

"I don't really want you to walk home alone. I know it's not far off but..."

"I'll be fine, Aka-chan" Rika patted the top of her brother's wet head and Niou snickered quietly in the background.

"I'll walk her home. It's on the way to my bus stop"

Rika looked up with her large green eyes at Sanada who had spoken. Yukimura had a small smile on his face while Yanagi turned his face away to exchange glances with Yagyuu.

"That's settled then. Come on, Akaya" Marui turned and began walking out the gates with Jackal.

"Thanks fukubuchou!" Kirihara ran off.

Yagyuu grabbed Niou's arm and dragged him off. Yukimura nudged Yanagi who nodded. Both turned and walked out the gates. Rika shouldered her bag and then glanced up at Sanada. He coughed rather nervously and then gestured for her to go ahead. They exited the gates and headed down the sidewalk. Rika didn't say a word and Sanada stayed silent as well. Both were rather quiet and didn't like much unnecessary noise at all.

Rika turned right and then headed into her neighbourhood. She waved to the little old lady Nakamoto-san who lived at the first house when entering the neighbourhood. As they continued walking, Rika felt Sanada's hand brush up against hers slightly. She smiled to herself before feeling his hand brush hers again. She swung her hand against his and then felt his pinky finger latch onto hers.

She stopped when she reached her house and then he let go of her pinky.

"Thank you, Sanada senpai" Rika looked up at him only to see a small smile on his face.

"Sleep well, Rika-chan"

"You too"

Rika gave him one of her sweet smiles before unlocking the door of her house and stepping inside. She locked it before rushing to the window. Sanada had already made his way down the pathway and then turned around. Rika knew he had spotted her and waved goodbye. He nodded and walked away. She shut the curtains and then headed straight to the shower. Dressed with only a towel around her, she headed to her room and then frowned.

"I thought I shut the window before I left for school" Rika said before shutting the window and locking it.

She dressed quickly and then froze when she heard a crash from downstairs.

"Akaya? Are you home?" She called down the stairs. Another crash was her reply. She rolled her eyes before heading downstairs.

"Akaya, what did you break this time?"

She entered the kitchen only to find Niou frowning to himself. Rika gasped when she saw her mother's fine china on the floor broken to pieces.

"Niou-san, what did you do? How did you get in the house?" Rika asked.

"Your window was unlocked so I got in through there. I thought I would put a prank for Akaya in his room but you came home earlier than I thought" Niou replied.

"If you still want to, you're welcome to" Rika said.

"Really?"

"Go right ahead"

Niou didn't think twice and ran up the stairs. Rika chuckled before sitting down at the table and starting on her homework. Niou returned soon enough with a big grin on his face and settled down next to her.

"What's going on with you and Sanada?" he asked bluntly.

"To be honest, I don't really know. I'm taking things as they go along" Rika replied.

"You know, you aren't so boring if you let me out a prank up in Bakaya's room. I never see you look at anyone twice. What's so special about Sanada?"

"He's rather quiet but he's also determined, kind, loyal and a hard worker"

"You're talking like you're going to marry him. I don't see that spark between you like all the other couples in school" Niou said.

"We're different from everyone else" Rika argued.

"You're not different. You and Sanada have no spark. You'll end up breaking his heart"

"I won't!"

"Stop fooling yourself, darling. You don't like Sanada, even a little bit. You better realise that before its too late" Niou said with a wink.

"I'll think over your advice but I think it's time for you to leave" Rika said in a icy, cold voice.

"Fine by me"

Rika didn't move until she heard the door slam shut. She stood and then headed up to her room. She splashed some water over her face before peering at herself in the mirror. Was Niou actually right? Was she lying to herself? And to Sanada as well? If that was true then it was time to end this.


	4. Chapter 4

"What's wrong, Genichirou? I've never seen you look so morose, ever" Yukimura sat down next to Yanagi in the school courtyard.

The sky was clear and the birds were chirping. Cherry blossoms were flying through the air sometimes landing on the roof. Yukimura unwrapped his bento, his mouth watering at the sight of his mother's rice balls.

"She rejected me" Sanada replied, looking up at Yukimura.

"Who? Rika-chan?" Yukimura asked.

"Who else would Sanada have feelings for, Seiichi" Yanagi said sarcastically.

"Rika-chan rejected you? Why? Did she give a reason?" Yukimura was rather surprised to say the least.

"She just said that we wouldn't be able to work out and she'd rather let me know now than later when it would be damaging" Sanada replied.

"You have to give her credit to owning up to it now. You would have been devastated if she told you later and you were in too deep" Yanagi pointed out.

"I thought she really liked you, Gen. I'm sorry" Yukimura said.

"You don't need to apologise for anything. I just wish she would have given me the reason why she rejected me" Sanada said.

"She must have her own reasons, Genichirou. No need to linger on it for long" Yanagi said.

Yukimura nodded and then looked down at his food. His appetite had vanished after hearing the news. He stood and excused himself to go to the toilet. As he walked along the hallways by himself, he heard a sweet laugh from one of the classrooms. He looked up and smiled. It was Rika-chan's classroom. He turned to peek inside and spotted Rika with her best friend Chiharu.

Yukimura examined them from the slightly open doorway. Chiharu had never really been much of a traditional Japanese beauty like the way Rika was. Chiharu had short brown hair with large brown eyes. She was tall and athletic, the star of the school's swimming team. Chiharu gestured wildly as she spoke to Rika which made Rika laugh even more.

I should leave them alone, Yukimura mused and then turned to return to the courtyard and finish eating his bento.

"I'll see you tomorrow then, Chiharu-chan!" Rika called out, waving wildly.

"Bye Rika-chan!" Chiharu ran out the gates and got on the bus.

"It seems like you're happy today" Yukimura said as he approached Rika, dressed in his school uniform.

"Both of us passed our History tests. I thought I would fail but it seems that tutoring Akaya has made me a genius" Rika replied, smiling up at him.

"I need to catch the next bus to Fudoumine Middle School" Yukimura said.

"Isn't there tennis practice in a few minutes?" Rika asked.

"I was excused because I wanted to request for Fudoumine to have a practice match with us" Yukimura replied.

"Oh. Have fun then"

"Would you like to come?"

"If you don't mind, Yukimura senpai"

"I don't mind at all, Rika-chan. It's nice to get a change of scenery once in a while" Yukimura said.

They boarded the bus to Fudoumine. Rika knew that Fudoumine was a rather unknown school when it came to the tennis circuit but at this moment of Nationals just beginning they were said to be a rather formidable opponent despite being unseeded. Yukimura hummed to himself before spotting an empty seat on the bus. He gestured to Rika who took the seat.

They got off a street away from Fudoumine and walked towards the school. It looked like a simple school but Rika could see it was in need of a paint job. The windows on the top floor were broken and the grass needed mowing. Yukimura took Rika's hand and led her along the back of the school to the tennis courts.

"Have you been here before?" Rika asked quietly.

"I came here when I was picking schools. I was dead set on Rikkai but my parents wanted to spread my horizons so I could make a good decision" Yukimura replied.

Rika perked up when she noticed the Fudoumine tennis team hard at work. There were only seven players but she had to admit that they were skilled. Not as skilled as Rikkai players but good enough to make it to Nationals. She hung back while Yukimura approached the black haired, dark eyed captain.

She distracted herself by watching the rest of the players but then noticed a few female tennis players by the fence. One girl in particular caught her attention. Her short brown hair and large grey eyes were beautiful. She was dressed in a female tennis uniform which meant she was athletic as well.

"Rika-chan, come here" Yukimura beckoned her and Rika came forward obediently.

"This is the captain, Tachibana Kippei. Tachibana-kun, this is Kirihara Rika" Yukimura said.

Tachibana smiled warmly and Rika immediately felt the older brother vibe coming from him. She smiled back at him and bowed to him to show her respect for him.

"Is she the angelic sister of Kirihara Akaya?" a red head asked, wandering over to them.

"Yes, Akaya's my twin brother" Rika replied.

"I'm Kamio Akira, vice captain" The red head said.

"We should conclude practice soon. An-chan has to sleep over at a friend's house today so I'll have to walk her there" Tachibana said.

"Are you sure you can't make it for the practice match?" Yukimura asked.

"I am sorry, Yukimura-kun. We have a week long training camp starting from next week. I apologise for any inconvenience" Tachibana replied.

"We could try asking Hyoutei instead. They'd probably be up for it" Rika suggested to Yukimura.

"Atobe has already informed me of their exams next week and so they won't be able to participate. I suppose we'll have to just continue to practice on our own" Yukimura replied.

"Onii-san!"

Rika could feel a funny feeling bubble in her stomach as the girl with short brown hair and grey eyes came up to them. Her smile was beautiful, lighting up her whole face. Tachibana gave her a one armed hug which made Rika's heart drop. Was this girl Tachibana's girlfriend? No, she had called him 'Onii-san'.

"This is my sister, Tachibana An" Kippei said.

"Nice to meet you" An chirped.

"I'm Yukimura Seiichi and this is Kirihara Rika" Yukimura said.

"Nice to meet you too" Rika said quietly.

"I absolutely love your hair. It's so thick and curly" An said and Rika blushed in embarrassment.

"Thank you" Rika replied with a shy smile.

"Anyways, we should be going. Tennis practice should be concluded by now" Yukimura said. He took Rika's hand to lead her out, an action that was noted by everyone.

"Is she Yukimura's girlfriend?" Kamio asked curiously.

"She's nice but really shy" An commented.

"The polar opposite to Kirihara Akaya" Tachibana said.

"She's rather interesting. I can't wait to get to know her better" An said.

"An-chan, remember that you can't force someone to be friends with you" Tachibana said.

"Don't worry, Onii-san. I just think that she's really adorable and cute. We could go on shopping trips"

"Just don't go overboard, okay?" Tachibana patted her head.

"Yes"

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed or favorited this story. It's made my cousin and I really happy. **

**Onyxinlife.**


	5. Chapter 5

The last person Rika expected to see at the grocery store was Tachibana An. Yukimura and Rika had visited Fudoumine Middle School on Thursday and An had occupied Rika's thoughts for the entire of Friday. Today, on Saturday, Rika had found that Akaya had left for yet another tennis practice. She took this opportunity to call Chiharu and found that she was also training for the swim meet coming up.

Rika made sure to be out of sight as she made her way down the canned food aisle. She had probably embarrassed herself at Fudoumine and she definitely didn't want to meet An again. Being near her made Rika lose all credible thought. She distracted herself with the canned peas and then picked up a can to check the expiry date.

"Hi!"

A hand came onto her shoulder, making Rika jump out of her skin. The can dropped from her hand and fell to the floor with a loud clang!.

"Oh, I didn't mean to scare you" An said with an apologetic smile. Rika stood frozen as An bent down and picked up the can.

"Are you okay?" An asked worriedly.

"I'm fine" Rika replied taking the can and tossing it into the shopping cart.

"It's nice to see you again. I love your dress. It's so cute. I wish I was short and cute like you. But no, I'm tall with lanky limbs" An said.

"How come you're here?" Rika asked.

"Well, Onii-san loves miso soup but homemade, not from a pack. So I come here because they have cheap and good quality ingredients. Do you shop here often?"

"Yeah, I do my weekly shopping here because Akaya eats too much" Rika replied.

"Same for my brother. They eat like they have holes in their stomachs and we have to watch our weight" An laughed and Rika chuckled.

"So, do you want to go for ice cream? I can always go shopping later" An asked.

"Yeah, that sounds good"

Both walked out of the grocery store and headed for the nearest park. Rika paid for her ice cream and headed out to find an empty bench. She found one shaded by a canopy of leaves from a nearby tree. An grinned as she ate her ice cream, commenting that she hadn't had ice cream in a month since she was too busy training for the tennis team.

"You're so feminine and delicate" An said suddenly.

Rika stared up at her in surprise. An was blunt but Rika didn't realise that she would outright comment on her. There were many sides to Rika besides her appearance.

"I don't mean it in a bad way. I mean, boys must be falling all over you because you're so cute and delicate. I'm sporty and most boys don't even look at me" An explained.

"Most boys are scared of my brother. I haven't really dated much" Rika said.

"But you're so pretty! I'm sure you could get any guy in this park" An said.

"I'm not really interested in boys and stuff like that. I do like to dress up and look cute but I do like sports, music and school" Rika said.

"Most girls who I hang out with just want to grab my brother's attention. You're different. Do girls do that to you too? Be friends for your brother, I mean"

"Sometimes. But it's mostly Yukimura senpai they want to see and not my brother. They probably grew bored of me since all I do is read and study rather than go and cheer on my brother during practice" Rika replied.

"Do you wanna do something fun?"

Rika sent her a questioning look.

"I know this new cafe that just opened up. I've been wanting to try their cakes but no one wants to go with me. Why don't we go?"

"That sounds nice but won't you be late getting home?" Rika asked.

"It's okay, I can call my mom and tell her I met a friend. There's no urgent need for shopping at the moment" An replied.

Rika nodded and they headed off to the cafe. It was a pretty cafe with outdoor as well as indoor seating. Rika was taken aback by the red and pink that infused the entire cafe.

"Why is it decorated so much?" Rika asked An as they sat down.

"It's Valentine's Day on Tuesday so I guess they're decorating it for the weekend. Look at the menu. It's got such cute options for couples" An replied, pointing to the menu.

Rika examined the items and then smiled. It was quite adorable but that reminded her that she needed get chocolates for the tennis team. They were all her friends so they deserved the chocolates.

"Are you planning on giving chocolates to someone special?" An asked with a smile.

"No. I usually give chocolates to my brother and the tennis regulars. Other than that, I don't really give chocolates to anyone" Rika replied.

"I do the same but there was one time when I gave chocolates to this guy I had a crush on. I didn't get anything back for White Day" An said.

"I've never got anything for White Day either. We really are two misfits" Rika commented.

"You got that right. Now, lets pick a cake to share"

The door opened and the Rikkaidai tennis regulars stepped into the cafe. Marui's mouth watered for the sweets while Kirihara pointed at his sister who was seated in the corner with another girl.

"Who's that? Rika didn't tell me she was meeting someone today" Kirihara asked.

"That's Tachibana An, Fudoumine captain Tachibana's sister" Yukimura replied.

"A regular on her own tennis team, I believe. She comes routinely to support her brother and his team. Has won several tournaments before moving from Kyushu" Yanagi said.

"We met her when I went to Fudoumine on Thursdays. Anyways, we shouldn't be barging in. It's nice to see Rika with some female company who doesn't use her to get close to us" Yukimura said.

"I found a table" Jackal said.

The regulars sat down at comfortably as they could at one table and conversation flowed easily. Yanagi noticed that Sanada's eyes never lingered from Rika's smiling and laughing face. Yukimura watched An and Rika closely noting Rika's bright smile and openness. It seemed that Tachibana An had broken the shell that everyone had been trying to crack. That shell was Kirihara Rika.


	6. Chapter 6

Rika hummed to a song on the radio as she cooked dinner. She had of course noticed the tennis regulars at the cafe but paid them no mind. It had felt wonderful to spend time with An-chan and her butterflies soon faded away after eating some cake with An. Akaya still wasn't back but Rika wasn't really that worried. The phone rang and Rika rushed to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Rika-chan? It's mom"

"Mom, how are you? When are you coming back home?"

"I won't be home for at least another week darling. Business is really going well here. I'm really sorry"

"It's not a problem mom. We can go to Akaya's match in two weeks then" Rika said.

"Is Akaya around?"

"He's at tennis practice, mom"

"Tell him I said hi. I miss you both so much. I'll be home soon. Bye, take care. Love you"

"Love you too"

Rika hung up and then smiled. The twins knew that their mother worked hard for both of them. Rika hoped that she would be the perfect daughter for her mother. She wiped the tears from her eyes and then headed to the kitchen to finish cooking.

Yukimura chuckled as Marui ruffled Akaya's curly seaweed hair. Yanagi smiled and pulled Niou away before the trickster could aggravate Akaya even more. Sanada seemed morose so Yukimura suggested they all go home for the the rest of the evening. Akaya, Niou, Yagyuu and Marui took the bus heading south while Jackal headed to his home on foot. Sanada and Yukimura climbed another bus with Yanagi.

"What has got you down in the dumps?" Yanagi asked bluntly to Sanada.

"Is it because you saw Rika-chan?" Yukimura asked.

"I believe the answer to that is yes" Yanagi said.

"Here's your stop, Renji" Yukimura pressed the button to stop the bus. Yanagi said his goodbyes and departed.

"Now will you tell me why you're so depressed?" Yukimura asked sitting down next to Sanada.

"She seemed so happy. She was smiling and laughing. It was nothing like when she was with me. I feel like I couldn't make her happy at all" Sanada replied.

"It is not your fault at all. You just weren't compatible. It's not your fault or hers. Girls always get along better than a girl and a boy. It's not like Rika-chan and Tachibana's sister are together" Yukimura laughed but then quieted down.

His heart was beating wildly as he thought about what he had said. It couldn't be. Tachibana's sister and Rika-chan? Rika had looked like she was enjoying herself but that didn't mean that she liked Tachibana An in that way, did it? Yukimura furrowed his eyebrows as he thought this over. Why did he care so much for Rika-chan? She could date whoever she wanted. Why was he sticking his nose in?

"I'm home!" Akaya yelled from the entryway.

"Welcome home" Rika said, placing the bowl of udon noodles on the table.

"Oh wow, that smells great!" Akaya sat down and began serving himself. Rika chuckled and then seated herself elegantly on the chair opposite him.

"I saw you guys at the cafe today" Rika said as he slurped the noodles noisily.

"Yeah. I was going to say hi but buchou told me its not nice disturb someone. You looked like you were having fun so he didn't want to spoil that" Akaya replied.

"Yukimura senpai is really nice, isn't he?" Rika commented.

"The nicest person ever. I have an English test on Monday so I'm going over to Yanagi senpai's to study. He said he would help me with my writing" Akaya said.

"Don't you know we're in the same year? I need some help in English too" Rika said.

"I'll ask Yanagi senpai if you can come with me. He said his parents were gone for the weekend so he'll cook lunch for me" Akaya said.

"I'll make something for him too if he lets me come over" Rika said.

"Make your strawberry shortcakes! I love those! Everyone likes them, even Sanada fukubuchou" Akaya begged.

"I'll bring them on Monday for all of you after tennis practice" Rika promised and Akaya whooped.

The next day, Akaya dragged Rika out of the house to Yanagi senpai's home. It was an apartment in one of the more modern buildings in Kaganawa. It was different from their traditional family home. Rika pressed the intercom button which identified them and let them into the house.

"Wow, this house is so cool" Akaya exclaimed as they took off their shoes.

"Haven't you been to Yanagi senpai's home before?" Rika asked, smoothing down her skirt and sleeveless top.

"Nope. His parents are always around doing stuff so we don't come over. Yukimura Buchou comes over a whole lot to tend to their plants but no one else from the tennis team comes over" Akaya replied.

"Welcome to my humble abode" Yanagi said with a small smile.

"This place is so awesome!" Akaya exclaimed.

"It's a really nice house, senpai" Rika said.

"Thank you. Come into the dining room, we'll being our work. Sanada and Yukimura are also here working on our project for next week" Yanagi said.

They entered the dining room to find Sanada and Yukimura seated on the floor with a few large posters. Rika greeted them before sitting at the table and pulling out her books. Akaya nearly toppled over the green paint which prompted Yanagi to seat him at the table and start teaching them.

"How do you pronounce this, senpai?" Rika asked pointing to a word in her dictionary.

"Forte. You pronounce it as for-tay" Yanagi replied.

"For-tay. It doesn't sound like English" Rika said, sounding confused.

"It's actually French and it describes a person who is good at something" Yanagi explained.

"Okay" Rika bit her lower lip before starting some translation exercises.

"Yanagi, does this look right?" Yukimura asked, prompting Yanagi to leave the twins alone.

Kirihara had his eyes screwed up in order to concentrate. Rika hummed quietly as she went ahead and then stopped, unsure of what to write. Yukimura chuckled quietly as she chewed on the end of her pencil. She looked adorable like that with her curls framing her face and biting her lip.

Yukimura abruptly sat up, catching the attention of Sanada and Yanagi.

"Bathroom" he muttered, getting up.

He shut the door of the bathroom behind him before looking at his horrified face in the mirror. His heart was beating wildly as the realisation poured over him. He liked Kirihara Rika. He had actually fallen for her. Her politeness, childlike face and quiet voice had finally pulled him in, a place where many had tried had failed.

"What am I going to do?"


	7. Chapter 7

Yukimura ducked out of sight as he spotted Rika walking down the hallway, while tapping away on her rarely seen phone. Yukimura remembered Akaya griping that his twin had been given a phone because she was mature enough to have one. Their mother had absolutely refused to give her son a phone saying that he would lose it immediately. She was right, Yukimura mused, because Akaya had stolen his sister's phone from her room and lost it at school the next day earning him a harsh scolding from his mother.

Rika passed without noticing Yukimura and the lilac haired boy stepped out of his hiding place.

"Why are you avoiding her?" Yanagi asked and Yukimura jumped nearly a foot in the air.

"Where did you come from?" Yukimura clutched his beating heart.

"From my class a few doors down just in time to see you jump out of sight. Mind answering my question?"

"I'm not avoiding her" Yukimura said, looking away from Renji.

"You've fallen for her and now you don't know what to do. Just go and ask her out. I'm sure Genichirou won't feel betrayed. Well he might, but he'll get over it" Renji said.

"It's a lot more complicated than just Sanada, Renji. There's a lot more people involved in this" Yukimura said.

"Like who?"

Yukimura smirked. He knew very well that Yanagi only poised questions when he wanted to know something. Trusting the data master was a deed many thought twice before doing. Yukimura would not fall for Yanagi's feigned innocence.

"I'll be fine. I need to go. Class cleanup duty" Yukimura walked away from Yanagi who shrugged.

Rika smiled as she pulled out the two bentos from the Home Economics class fridge. She had promised Akaya that she would give him and the tennis team strawberry shortcake that she had made. She tucked the bentos in her bag before heading out to the tennis courts. She got to the clubhouse and then realised that the only ones in were the regulars.

"Rika-chan!" Akaya bounded over like a puppy and Rika ruffled his hair playfully.

"Did you bring it?" Marui asked with a big hopeful grin.

"Yes I did. Two bentos of my homemade strawberry shortcake" Rika replied.

She set her bag down and pulled out the bentos. She handed one to Marui who immediately opened it to gobble it down. She handed the other to Akaya who took a slice and then handed it to the rest. Rika smiled at Sanada who shook his head at Akaya's offer. Rika knew very well that he didn't like sweets. She wondered where Yukimura was. She hadn't seen him all day.

"He had to attend to clean up duties after school" Yanagi replied quietly to Rika's unspoken question. Sanada's eyes narrowed at his answer and Rika handed Yanagi one of the bentos which had a slice of cake left for Yukimura.

"I'll return it tomorrow" Yanagi said placing the bento in his locker and closing the door.

"I'll leave then. Akaya, I'll be waiting out near the gates for you"

Rika slammed right into Yukimura after she exited the locker rooms. She smiled at him but he seemed distracted. He didn't reply but just stepped past her and entered the room. Rika furrowed her eyebrows in confusion but then shrugged. He was probably thinking about Nationals or something. Being a captain of a tennis team and a third year was probably hard.

"Rika-chan!"

Tachibana An waved at Rika at the school gates. Rika could feel the butterflies start a hurricane in her stomach as she approached An at the gates.

"Lets go have ice cream. I don't have tennis practice today" An said.

"My brother's at tennis practice but I guess he won't mind if I leave early" Rika said.

"Then lets go, the bus is here"

Rika grabbed her bag and began running for the bus. An took her hand tightly and helped her along. They boarded the bus just in time. Both panted near the doors and the bus jolted forward causing Rika to fall right onto An. An placed her arms around Rika and set her onto her feet. Rika blushed, despite herself and then smiled in thanks. An dragged her to the back of the bus and they both sat down.

"What flavour should I get today?" An asked as they neared the sweets shop.

"Maybe chocolate? But won't that give you pimples?" Rika smiled shyly up at her.

"You remember? I must have said that in passing"

"Oh" Rika looked away from An.

She felt two hand cup her face and force it upwards. Rika stared into An's kind grey eyes and felt dazed for a few seconds.

"It's fine, Rika-chan. I think it's cute that you remember everything. It means you really care" An said.

Rika nodded and then smiled when An turned her attention back to the flavours. She took a couple of silent breaths to calm her beating heart down before picking out the vanilla flavour. They hung out at the cafe for a bit before An had to leave. Rika walked around the bookstores for a bit before heading home. When she got home, she was rather surprised to find the most of the tennis regulars there.

"Rika, where have you been?" Niou asked.

"I went to have ice cream with a friend. Why?" Rika was confused beyond belief.

"Akaya's going crazy because you left school without him. He thought you were at home but then you weren't here either" Marui replied.

"Rika-chan, you're home! I thought something happened to you!"

Rika hugged her brother and then smiled. "I'm fine, Akaya. I just met a friend and went to have ice cream with her. I thought that you wouldn't be worried"

"Did you know how worried he was? How worried all of us were?" Yukimura tried to hold his anger.

"I just went out for a little bit. I just forgot to tell you guys. It's not a big deal" Rika said calmly.

"It is a big deal. You never do something like this. You never hang out with any friends" Yukimura stopped himself before he could go any further.

"Because I don't have any. Is that what you're trying to say?" Rika's voice was like ice.

"Rika-chan, he didn't mean it like that" Jackal said.

"That is exactly what he meant. I thought that out of all people, Yukimura-san, you would understand me. I don't know why you're making such a big deal out of this. I just went to have ice cream with An-chan. What is so wrong with that?" Rika glared at Yukimura with fury.

"Rika-chan, calm down please" Sanada said.

"Fine. You can order pizza for tonight, Akaya. I'm not going to cook"

Rika turned and slammed the door to the house with such force that the regulars winced.

"She looked almost like you, Akaya. Wild and infuriated" Yagyuu said, adjusting his spectacles.

**Thank you for the reviews and all of your support! **

**Onyxinlife. **


	8. Chapter 8

A whole week went by. Rika had begun leaving early from school, leaving Akaya to walk home on his own from tennis practice. Akaya wasn't really worried but Yukimura was. He didn't even get a chance to apologise to Rika since she had been avoiding him. He had checked all her usual spots for lunch or breaks but never found her. He had to hand it to her, she managed to leave the minute Yukimura or any other tennis regulars entered a room.

"We followed her out of school once. Guess where we found her" Niou said during lunch.

"Where?" Sanada asked before Yukimura could.

"At a maid's cafe. We didn't go in but we saw her go in and she didn't leave until the cafe was shut" Yagyuu replied.

"Maid cafe?" Yukimura's heart almost dropped. He just remember the headlines he had read yesterday about maid stalkers and prostitution in maid cafes.

"Aren't maid cafes cute and girly? Rika-chan is super adorable. The customers will like her for sure" Marui said.

"How do we know she's a maid? She could be a cook or just a ordinary dish preparator" Yanagi asked.

"Lets go after school and find out" Niou replied with a twinkle in his eye.

They headed to the same maids cafe and entered. Sanada flinched visibly as a girl dressed in a maids outfit welcomed them in her high pitched voice. They all sat down at separate table, four each and ordered something to eat or drink. Yanagi ignored his surroundings and began scribbling away in his notebook.

"There's Rika-chan" Niou said. Yukimura whirled around and winced as he snapped his neck. Rika was on the phone talking to someone while writing in a large notebook.

"You guys are friends of Rika-chan?" The maid who had welcomed them in poised the question.

"I'm her brother and these are her friends from the tennis club at school" Kirihara replied.

"Oh, you're her twin brother. Should I call her over?"

"No, it's fine" Yukimura replied hastily.

"Rika-chan!" A maid from another table called out to Rika who looked up. She spotted the tennis regulars and sighed to her herself. She left the phone and headed over to the maid who had called her. She ignored the tennis regulars entirely and then returned to her seat at the counter near the phones.

Yukimura got up and walked over to her. She looked down at the notebook and ignored Yukimura.

"Rika-chan" Yukimura spoke but Rika didn't look at him.

"I'm really sorry, Rika-chan. I didn't mean to hurt you. I know you trust me a lot and to have me say something like that would have shattered your trust in me. I was just really worried about you and got carried away. I hope you can forgive me"

Rika didn't budge and Yukimura sighed. He was about to turn around when he felt something catch his hand. He turned back around and then smiled when he saw Rika smiling up at him. Before he knew what he was doing, he had bent down had pressed a kiss against Rika's forehead. Rika didn't freeze but grinned just a little more. The phone rang and she hurried to answer it.

Yukimura went back to his table, his heart beating a mile a minute. He couldn't believe he had just done that. The glare Sanada was giving him was enough. Niou's smirk and Yagyuu's small smile made Yukimura glance over at Kirihara who had not witnessed anything because he was being sufficiently distracted by Marui and Jackal. Yanagi had not looked up from his scribbling at all.

Rika walked home with the rest of the tennis regulars this evening. Niou, Kirihara, Marui and Jackal walked ahead from the rest. Sanada strode along the road alone while Yukimura walked with Yanagi. Rika and Yagyuu brought up the rear while walking in silence.

"Rika-chan, do you mind if I ask you something?" Yagyuu spoke up.

"You already did but go ahead" Rika replied making Yagyuu smile.

"My father is insisting on taking me for dance lessons and I don't have a partner at all. Do you think you can be my partner. The dance lessons are free if you agree"

"That sounds interesting, Yagyuu senpai. I would love to. Are the lessons on weekends?"

"On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. I'll take you home after if you want" Yagyuu replied.

"I'd love to be your dance partner, senpai" Rika said.

"Thank you"

Niou's home came first so he waved goodbye before taking a left. Sanada left as well saying he had a few errands to run before going home. Rika and Akaya got to her home third and said their goodbyes. That night, Rika stayed awake waiting for a documentary that she had to write a report on. She flicked through the channels and then stopped. There was a movie coming on and she quickly got sucked into the story.

Her eyes watched the female lead fall in love with a random girl in her class that no one really noticed. Their accidental meeting in the toilets when a gun went off at the school. Their combined fear while being confronted by the gunman made them find friends in each other. Before leaving for college both friends make promises to come back to their small hometown once more.

The female lead finds a life of acting and singing enjoyable. She returns to the hometown after five years to find her friend married with two kids. However, a sudden twist arrived when the friend was being abused by her husband. The female lead then rescues the children and takes her friend away from the town. The friend falls for the female lead and goes through a year of confusion before decided to confess. They lived happily ever after with the two children.

Rika smiled when the movie ended and then found the documentary. However, she fell asleep right on the couch.

_"I love you, Rika-chan"_

_Rika smiled before leaning up to kiss An chastely. An's lips were soft and sticky because of the lipgloss she was wearing but then they suddenly turned a little rough but not too much. Rika pulled away and then her eyes widened._

_"I love you Rika-chan" Yukimura said with a sweet smile._

_Rika stepped back in horror but Yukimura wrapped his arms around her, caging her effectively._

"No!" Rika shot awake, breathing hard. She glanced wildly at the clock and noted that she had slept the night away on the couch. Her knees were shaking violently as she stood and headed to the bathroom. Her dream had shaken her more than she wanted to admit.


	9. Chapter 9

"One, two, three, four and turn!"

Rika blushed as she stepped on Yagyuu's foot yet again. Yagyuu disguised his pain easily. At least she wasn't stepping on his toes at every movement like when they began. Yagyuu didn't stop but effortlessly lead her. Rika followed his lead but found the steps a little daunting.

"We'll take a break for a few minutes!" the instructor announced and the other two couples with them nodded.

Rika stepped out of her heels and then sat down on a chair. The heels were a bit too high for her taste but Yagyuu had insisted in buying them for her. If she wanted to learn to dance, it would be better to learn while wearing heels. Yagyuu handed her a bottle of water which she drank gratefully.

"Why did you bring me here, senpai?" Rika asked suddenly.

"Because I didn't have a partner" Yagyuu replied easily.

"You're lying" Rika said with a small smile. Years of living with Akaya and her own father had accustomed her with a sixth sense of when people were lying.

"Fine, I did this for another reason" Yagyuu sat down next to her.

"Go on"

"You seemed to be rather stressed as the weeks went by. I thought that by coming her, you would have something to distract yourself with even for a couple of hours" Yagyuu admitted while looking at the floor.

"That's really nice of you, senpai. Thank you" Rika patted his shoulder before standing up.

"I thought we were on a break" Yagyuu said as she put on her heels.

"If I'm doing this, it would make me feel better if I put more effort into it" Rika replied. She held out her hand and Yagyuu took it. They took their positions and began the steps again.

The whole tennis club had noted the growing closeness between Rika and Yagyuu. Kirihara didn't seem to find anything wrong with it but Marui and Niou didn't stop with their teasing of Yagyuu. Rika and Yagyuu admitted to the dance lessons but that only increased a few rumours of them dating.

Yukimura tried to curb the jealousy and then tried to date some other girl. Rika didn't really pay much attention at all. She kept herself busy and soon enough graduation came by. The third years left, leaving Akaya and Rika alone. Everyone moved on to separate high schools. Yagyuu and Yanagi moved to Tokyo for a high school that specialised in science and technology. Sanada and Yukimura moved on to Rikkaidai High. Niou left for Tokyo but for acting and modelling.

Marui initially pursued high school but then after a month found an internship at a cake shop which eventually managed to get him a famous patissier to teach him about desserts. Jackal returned to Brazil but wrote emails to everyone. Rika found it rather lonely now but she still tried to her best at school. Kirihara constantly visited Yukimura who would advise him on leading the tennis club. The year passed quickly despite the slow moving days and Rika soon found herself a week before graduation in the maids cafe, waiting for her pay from the manager.

"I'll be leaving then, Rika-chan" Keiko, a maid, said before walking out.

Rika played with her phone for a bit and then began swinging her legs back and forth just waiting. The door to the kitchen opened and Yamato Nadeshiko walked out. Everyone in the cafe thought that Nadeshiko was absolutely beautiful. She had long natural blond hair with large grey eyes, rather unusual in Japan. Her mother was French and her father was Japanese.

"Rika-chan, you're still here?" Even her voice was light and pretty.

"No, I'm waiting for the manager. She still has to pay me" Rika replied with a smile.

At first, Rika had been intimidated by Nadeshiko. Who wouldn't be? She was a girl that every girl would take their man away from. Everyone turned when Nadeshiko entered a room because of her beauty. Nadeshiko was a second year college student but always declined the confessions of different boys.

"Hey, Rika-chan, have you ever had a boyfriend?" Nadeshiko asked quietly.

"No, I haven't. I have gone on dates but nothing really came out of them" Rika replied.

"My father wanted to arrange my marriage in my third year of high school. He said if I could find a boyfriend then he would let me go but no one here interests me" Nadeshiko said.

"I have a couple of senpais from school, if you're interested" Rika offered.

"Rika-chan, I like girls, not guys" Nadeshiko admitted making Rika's mouth drop open in shock.

"Yamato-san"

"I know it's strange and abnormal but Rika-chan, how long do you expect me to keep a secret? I know I can trust you because you're honest and you don't judge anyone. I can't tell my father. He'll be heartbroken" Crystal clear tears began falling from her eyes.

After two years of battling with herself inside, Rika felt that the time was right. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"Yamato-san, I'm the same"

Nadeshiko looked up and stared at her in shock. After seeing the serious look on Rika's face, she smiled. Rika hugged the older girl tight and let her cry on her shoulder. Nadeshiko smiled wide as Rika pulled away.

"I never expected you to like girls. Everyone in here thought you had a boyfriend that you were keeping a secret about" Nadeshiko said after wiping away her tears.

"Not really. I just don't talk about dating because I haven't found any man attractive until now" Rika replied.

"When did you realise you were gay?"

"I was ten. I had a crush on my best friend. She doesn't know anything about me being gay and I don't think of her as a lover would anymore" Rika replied.

"I was nine. I was at my cousin's New Year party and one of her drunk friends kissed me. I felt so light headed and happy. I had a crush on her for quite a while. I confessed and she was happy but I was underage so we couldn't be together"

"I haven't really even kissed anyone. I just keep this secret to myself"

"You don't need to hide it from me. I'm happy that I have someone to talk to now" Nadeshiko admitted.

"You'll always have a friend in me, Yamato-san" Rika hugged Nadeshiko again just as the door to the cafe opened.

"Oh my, did I interrupt something?" The manager, Saitou-san asked.

"No, we are just fine" Nadeshiko quickly said.

Rika nodded and Saitou pulled out two envelopes. She handed them one each before bringing out her next idea for the cafe. Nadeshiko winked at Rika before turning to Saitou. Rika smiled as a warm feeling entered her heart. She was not alone anymore.

**So now everyone's moving on. Thank you for your reviews!**


	10. Chapter 10

"Parents, teachers and friends, I present to you Rikkai Dagaku's graduating class of 2007!"

Cheers erupted through the air as the headmaster finished his announcement. The graduates threw their caps into the air and rushed to hug their loved ones. Rika hugged her brother first before heading down to their mother who was beaming proudly. In one hand Rika held her trophy as an all round achiever and Vice President of the Student Council.

The twins hugged their mother before being accosted by the tennis regulars. Most of them had turned out for the occasion except for Yagyuu who had been taken to a business trip by his father. Sanada stiffened when Rika hugged him but then gingerly hugged her back. Yukimura held onto to Rika tight until she teasingly complained that she couldn't breathe.

"Rika-chan!"

Rika turned from Yukimura only to find An waving to her. Next to her stood her brother, Kippei and Kamio Akira. Rika walked towards her only to have An glomp her in celebration.

"Congratulations! Can you believe we're now out of middle school?" An cheered.

"I know. It feels so good" Rika agreed.

"Congrats, Rika-chan" Kippei said and Kamio nodded.

"Thanks" Rika replied.

Rika felt a hand touch her shoulder hesitantly and turned. She took in Nadeshiko looking absolutely beautiful in a pretty pink dress and her hair tied in a plait. She could see the gobsmacked looks on the Rikkai regulars faces as they took in Nadeshiko's beauty. Even Kamio turned tomato red to match his hair.

"Yamato-san" Rika said only to be hugged by Nadeshiko. It took only a second for Rika to realise that Nadeshiko was crying.

"Yamato-san, what's wrong? Don't cry" Rika said and Nadeshiko pulled away from her.

"Miss, what's the matter? Are you hurt?" An asked in concern.

"Lets go somewhere quiet and then we can talk, okay?" Rika took Nadeshiko's hand and led her away from the rest of the crowd. An followed them and found a small bench near the playground for them to sit on.

"Tell me what happened, Yamato-san" Rika implored.

"I told my father. He disowned me" Nadeshiko replied, tears falling out of her eyes.

Rika's eyes widened. An seemed confused about the whole thing but Rika hurriedly hugged the older girl. She knew how much courage it must have taken for Nadeshiko to confront her father.

"Rika-chan, what did Yamato-san tell her father?" An asked quietly.

"I'm a lesbian. I just confessed to my parents. They didn't take it well" Nadeshiko replied with conviction.

An seemed shocked for a moment but Rika also turned to An with her own confession.

"I'm bisexual, An-chan. I didn't mean to hide this but I was afraid of what you might do"

An took a step back before nodding. Rika breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't running away in fear. Nadeshiko wiped her tears away with a silk handkerchief and then ran a hand through her long blond hair. An sat down next to Nadeshiko and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"We should be getting back to the festivities. Yamato-san, you can come and stay at my house until you get your bearings" Rika said.

"You don't mind, Rika-chan?" Nadeshiko asked.

"My mother won't mind either. She's liked you ever since you came and brought cookies home" Rika replied.

"Thank you, Rika-chan"

They returned to the regulars where Nadeshiko introduced herself and apologised for making such a fuss. Rika pulled her mother aside and asked if Nadeshiko could stay with them. She agreed immediately and after the graduation, everyone gathered at a BBQ restaurant. Nadeshiko sat down at the very end and Rika sat next to her. An left with Kippei and Kamio right after. Yukimura sat down opposite Rika and Nadeshiko next to Yanagi.

"If I wasn't gay, I would have fallen for him" Nadeshiko whispered making Rika giggle.

"He's been my friend for three years. He's really sweet and nice but he hasn't had a girlfriend since I've met him" Rika replied.

Yukimura glanced over at them making both of them burst into giggles again. He frowned in confusion and then returned to his conversation with Yanagi. Rika smiled and began eating after the food arrived. After finishing to eat and paying, everyone headed their separate ways. Nadeshiko followed Rika and a very beet root blushing Akaya home.

"This is my room. Both of us will be sleeping in here" Rika said.

"Your room is as cute as you are, Rika-chan" Nadeshiko said with a light giggle.

"You can freshen up before dinner if you want, Yamato-san" Rika said.

She headed down to the kitchen where her mother had already begun cooking.

"Nadeshiko is such a sweet girl. She's incredibly beautiful too. She must have suitors lined up at the door" Rika's mother, Yuki said.

"She's the most popular maid at the cafe. Everyone comes to see her" Rika commented.

"Akaya seems to have developed a crush"

"This is going to be hilarious" Rika agreed.

Nadeshiko settled in wonderfully at Rika's home. Despite being pampered her entire life, Nadeshiko was skilled at cooking many different dishes and she regularly cleaned around the house. One night Nadeshiko and Rika were left alone at home. Rika's mother left for another business trip and Akaya had slept over at Marui's home.

"Rika-chan, have you ever been to nightclub?" Nadeshiko asked.

"No, I'm not old enough yet" Rika replied.

"I wanted to go to a nightclub but I don't have anyone to go with me. Will you come with me? We'll have lots of fun" Nadeshiko pleaded.

"I'm only fifteen, Yamato-san. We'll get caught at the door" Rika said.

"We won't. Come on, I dress you up"

Rika was seated down in front of her bedroom mirror and Nadeshiko began styling her hair. She pulled Rika's curly hair into a high ponytail with lots of hairspray and mousse. Rika winced as her hair was pulled on, tugged on and then straightened. Nadeshiko handed Rika a pair of short shorts and a figure hugging halter top to wear.

"You look so amazing!" Nadeshiko cooed.

Rika stared at herself. Her hair looked good and she actually looked like she had a figure in the clothes.

"Your face is too pale. Time for makeup!" Nadeshiko cheered.

After half an hour, they snuck out of the house and hailed a taxi to the city. Time to party.


	11. Chapter 11

The nightclub was loud and exciting. Rika didn't dare let go of Nadeshiko's hand as they streamed through the dance floor which was packed with people. They got to the bar panting for breath. Rika straightened out her clothes which had gotten messed up while in the crowd. She could already see a few guys checking Nadeshiko out.

"That was so much fun. Do you want a drink?" Nadeshiko asked.

"I'm not old enough to drink, Yamato-san. Just water" Rika replied.

Nadeshiko nodded and ordered a drink for herself. They stayed at the bar for a while before being approached.

"Hey. You girls look bored. Wanna dance?" Two guys came up to them and Nadeshiko brightened up.

"Of course. Let's go, Riri" Nadeshiko said and Rika nodded.

"Let's go, Nene" Rika agreed.

The two guys took them to the dance floor where an upbeat pop song was playing. Nadeshiko danced along with the other guy while Rika took it upon herself to examine the guy she was with. He had long brown hair with blue eyes which after a minute of examination, Rika concluded to be contact lenses. He was a good dancer but his eyes seemed to be on Rika's eyes.

"Nene, I think I'm going outside. It's too hot in here" Rika said. Nadeshiko nodded and Rika headed out.

"Hey, wait up!" The guy she was dancing with followed her out.

"I'm Nakamoto Yuu. Your name?"

"Yamato Rika. I'm her sister" Rika lied quickly. Something had warned her that she shouldn't say her real name out here. Someone might her trace her back to her school.

"I didn't really notice your eyes in the club. Are they a natural green?"

"Yeah, from my dad" Rika lied again. Her grandmother was the one who had green eyes.

"So what school do you go to?" Yuu asked.

Rika couldn't help but feel suspicious of this guy. Why was he asking her all these questions?

"I think I'm going to go back inside" Rika side stepped him only to have her hand caught in his.

"You're not going anywhere" Yuu said threateningly.

"Let her go!" Nadeshiko screamed, emerging from the club.

"Arghh!" Rika smiled at the sound of pain the guy made as she dug her heel right into his foot.

"Lets go, Rika-chan" Nadeshiko said. Rika kicked the guy in the shin and he let her go. Both entered a taxi which took them straight home.

"I'm sorry, Rika-chan. I thought that they were decent guys. The other guy did the same thing with me but a bouncer stopped him. I came to check on you because I was worried he might have done something with you" Nadeshiko said.

"It's fine. You wouldn't have known anyway" Rika waved away the thought.

They got home and changed out of the clothes. Nadeshiko disappeared for a few minutes before coming back up the stairs and locking the door of the room behind her.

"Look what I found" Nadeshiko held up a bottle of alcohol.

"Yamato-san, I'm underage" Rika reminded but Nadeshiko had already opened the bottle and poured out a glass.

"Come on, try it. It tastes amazing" Nadeshiko said taking a large sip.

Rika took the glass and tentatively took a sip. She gagged as the alcohol burned down her throat making her feel light headed. Nadeshiko urged her onwards and Rika took a large sip. This time the alcohol seemed to energise her and she could feel her feet leaving the floor.

"Pour me another one" Rika said. Nadeshiko giggled and poured out a glass. Rika began sipping leisurely as Nadeshiko down her glass in one.

"Your mom would be so mad that we snuck out and now we're drinking" Nadeshiko burst into peals of laughter.

"We're not getting smashed. It's just a little harmless fun" Rika replied before handing the empty glass for Nadeshiko to fill.

"Down it in one!" Nadeshiko said. Rika tipped her head back and drank it up down to the last drop. She slammed the glass down onto the floor while Nadeshiko cheered.

Rika leaned against her bed and felt very sleepy. Nadeshiko came to sit next to her with two full glasses. Rika took one and began sipping it.

"Rika-chan, have you ever kissed a girl?" Nadeshiko asked.

"No"

"A boy then?"

"No"

"Then how did you know you were gay?"

"I fell for my best friend. I kissed her while she was asleep but never awake" Rika replied.

"Want to have a real kiss then?" Nadeshiko asked.

Rika stared up at Nadeshiko and nodded. Nadeshiko leaned down had captured Rika's lips in hers. Her lips were unbearably soft but sticky from the lipgloss. Rika could feel a warmth enter her, even more better than the alcohol. Nadeshiko pulled back and Rika leaned forward joining their lips again. This was amazing. This was what Rika had been missing this whole time.

"You won't remember this in the morning so I guess I should tell you know. I love you, Rika-chan" Nadeshiko said.

Rika didn't react but simply sipped at her drink. Both sat in silence just drinking. Rika ured herself another one before down it in one. Nadeshiko leaned down to kiss Rika once or twice which Rika eagerly reciprocated. She loved the feeling of Nadeshiko's lips. She couldn't get enough. She chuckled when Nadeshiko let out a rather embarrassing snore.  
Rika closed her eyes and fell fast asleep right there on Nadeshiko's shoulder.


	12. Chapter 12

"Ugh, my head kills" Nadeshiko grumbled as she entered the kitchen in the morning.

"That's what you get for drinking nearly eight glasses of my mother's alcohol" Rika said as she cleaned out the glasses and threw out the empty bottle.

"How are you so chipper? Shouldn't you be in agony?" Nadeshiko asked.

"That was before I went on the Internet and found a hangover cure. It's in the mug over there" Rika pointed with her chin at the white mug.

Nadeshiko took the mug and sniffed whatever was inside. She recoiled instantly.

"What's in this?"

"Something. Drink it up. It works really well" Rika replied.

Nadeshiko plugged his nose and drank it up. She shuddered in disgust and then let the drink settle in her stomach. It cleared her aching stomach and pounding head in about five minutes.

"Wow, this is amazing" Nadeshiko said.

"I tried it myself to make sure you weren't drinking poison" Rika replied.

"I should take a shower. I smell absolutely horrid" Nadeshiko said.

"I'll make breakfast then" Rika said.

Nadeshiko headed up the stairs, deep in thought. It seemed like Rika didn't remember much from last night. Nadeshiko felt both relief and sadness at the thought. She wasn't really ready to start a new relationship with Rika but she was sad that she had to have some liquid courage to confess. Rika deserved more than that.

"Rika deserves someone courageous and brave. Not a coward like me" Nadeshiko said as she wept in the shower.

"I'm home!" Akaya yelled as he opened the door.

"Welcome home. How was the sleepover?" Rika popped her head out from the kitchen.

"It was fun. Yukimura Buchou and Yanagi senpai showed up too" Akaya sat down at the table.

"How are they? We'll be joining high school soon so we'll be able to see them more often. I haven't spoken to Yukimura senpai since graduation" Rika asked.

"They're fine but tired. Yanagi senpai always has some project or the other and Yukimura Buchou is whipping the tennis team into shape" Akaya replied.

"I've got plans with An-chan today. What about you?"

"Well, I have a last practice with the regulars so we'll go out for lunch before separating to our chosen high schools. I'll be back by five or so" Akaya said.

"Cool"

"Good morning, Akaya" Nadeshiko walked into the room dressed in a cute light pink dress with her hair softly curled. Akaya turned beet red before replying quietly to Nadeshiko.

Rika served the breakfast and then sat down to eat. She got a call from An-chan who would be meeting them at the train station for their plans. Rika changed into a pair of shorts and a white tee before heading out with Nadeshiko.

"An-chan!" An turned around before rushing to hug her friends. Despite being totally disgusted by her friend's choices, An had decided not to judge and just hang out with her friends. After all, they were still her friends inside and out.

"Let's go shopping!" An said excitedly.

Rika was immediately pulled to a clothes shop by An. Rika knew that An didn't like her style of clothes and was dying to buy her new ones. Nadeshiko hung back to look at the dresses while An dragged Rika to the casual clothes.

"You need some cute tops, Rika-chan. It's summer and all you wear are tee shirts" An said.

Rika took a few tops in her arms and then headed to the changing rooms. She hummed as she changed into a top and then smiled. It was vibrant green which matched her eyes. It looked adorable and Rika opened the door.

"An-chan, how does this look?" Rika called out. The sound of a gunshot immediately made her freeze. Screams erupted from the customers in the shop and in the changing rooms as well.

"Everybody freeze!" Rika heard a rough voice shout. She entered the changing room and locked it as fast as she could.

Her heart was beating fast as she curled herself on the bench. Her tears fell like a fountain as she heard another gunshot. She clapped her hands over her ears so as to block out the sound. The clock in the changing rooms ticked past making every second feel like an hour.

"Police! Hand's up in the air!"

Rika sobbed in relief. Everything would be alright now. She started when someone knocked on her door.

"Ma'am, it's safe. You can come out now"

Rika unlocked the door and saw a uniformed police smile kindly at her. She nodded and then shut the door again. She changed out of the clothes and headed out. Her head whipped right and left looking for her friends. She spotted Nadeshiko crying her heart out while being consoled by a policewoman. Rika ran over only to hear the last words of the officer.

"...rest assured, your friend will be absolutely fine. I'll just call the hospital to check on her"

"Who's injured?" Rika asked.

"Rika-chan!" Nadeshiko threw herself into Rika's arms.

"What happened? Where's An-chan?" Rika asked.

"An-chan was shot" Nadeshiko sobbed. Rika's mind immediately shut down as she heard this. Her legs gave out and she hit the floor with a thud taking Nadeshiko down with her.

"We're having a panic attack here" the policewoman said and one of the paramedics rushed over.

The ride to the hospital was a blur to Rika. She could hear people around her saying something but she never responded. All she could think of was An. Was she going to be alright? Was she going to die? Where had she been shot? Was it fatal? Rika then felt someone poke her arm and she fell into darkness.

"Rika-chan"

Rika opened her eyes to find her mother, brother, Nadeshiko and the rest of the tennis regulars around her.

"Where's An-chan?" Rika asked.

"How are you feeling, Rika-chan?" Yuki tried to change the subject.

"Where is An-chan?" Rika repeated.

"Let's not talk about An-chan right now-" "Why shouldn't we? I love her and I want to see her" Rika interrupted before her mother could go any further.

"We know you love her, Rika-chan. She's your friend. Right now, you need to calm down" Yuki said.

"I don't love her just as a friend, mother. I'm in love with her" Rika said.

"What?!" Akaya took a step back from his sister's bed.

"Rika-chan, you're not-" "Gay? Yes I am" Rika spat out.

Sanada looked properly horrified while Yukimura sighed. He had been so worried for Rika that he literally cancelled tennis practice and rushed here. His heart ached as Rika announced to the world that she loved An-chan.

"Rika-chan, An's dead" Nadeshiko said.

"I knew it" Rika said. She slumped against the pillows and began to cry quietly. Nadeshiko sat down and took her hand. She bent her head as crystal clear tears began pouring down her cheeks.

Yuki sat down on the sofa thoroughly confused. Akaya didn't even want to look at his sister. Yukimura glanced over at the rest of the tennis regulars who looked distinctly uncomfortable. He stepped forward and took Rika's other hand. Rika looked up at him and turned back to Nadeshiko, whose tears weren't ever going to dry up now.

**Don't hate me, please! **


	13. Chapter 13

"What are you going to do now?" Rika asked quietly as she helped Nadeshiko pack her clothes up.

Nadeshiko's father had heard of the attack and immediately ordered for his daughter to return. He was willing to accept her as long as she was safe by his side. Nadeshiko had initially refused but Rika had encouraged her to go back home. Nadeshiko would regret it if she didn't go back to her parents.

"I guess I'll continue my course at the university and then graduate" Nadeshiko replied.

"I'll miss you, Nadeshiko" Rika said.

"I will too but I'll come visit. Keep up in school and make your parents proud" Nadeshiko said.

"After the reaction I got from my mother and brother, I have to make them proud" Rika bent and placed a folded dress into the bag.

"At least they didn't kick you out. Your mother seems to be fine with it since your bisexual and not totally gay like me. Akaya will be uncomfortable but he'll come round" Nadeshiko replied.

"Rika-chan! Nadeshiko-chan's car is here!" Yuki called from downstairs.

Rika shut the suitcase and both of them heaved it down the stairs. The driver took it and placed it into the car boot.

"Thank you for keeping me for a few months. I troubled you a lot, didn't I?" Nadeshiko said.

"Of course not. You are welcome anytime" Yuki hugged Nadeshiko.

"Bye, Akaya" Nadeshiko kissed Akaya's cheek making him twitch.

"Bye" he replied shyly.

"I'll miss you, Nadeshiko" Rika said.

Nadeshiko held her tight. "I will too. Come to Tokyo for university, okay?"

"Yeah. I know. Bye" Rika let go and Nadeshiko sat in the car. The driver shut the door and then entered the car. The car drove away with Nadeshiko waving from the back. Rika smiled softly and then felt her mother wrap her arms around her waist.

"I'm happy that you've found a good friend, Rika-chan" Yuki said.

"Me too" Akaya piped up.

"She might be older but she's a great friend" Rika agreed.

* * *

Summer was spent with Rika occupying herself. She involved herself with sports like basketball, mountain climbing, hiking and football. She hadn't gone to visit An's grave or even to meet An's parents and brother.

"Rika-chan, it's a surprise to see you here" Yukimura said as he entered the park. Rika was by herself dribbling a basketball and occasionally taking shots.

"I wanted to get out of the house" Rika replied.

Yukimura could feel his heart beat faster as he examined her. Two months of playing sports had toned her body to become fine muscle which was all the more attractive. She was dressed in shorts with a tank top that showed off her muscles and tan. She had grown even more beautiful from the time he had entered high school till now.

"Have you been to visit An yet?" Yukimura asked quietly.

"No. I'm not ready yet" Rika replied.

"There's no time like the present. Let's go" Yukimura said.

"I'll go when I'm good and ready" Rika snapped.

"There is no specific time, Rika-chan. If you truly loved her then you should get this closure" Yukimura said.

"Fine!"

Rika let the basketball go and tossed it through the hoop. She headed towards the bench and wore her jacket covering her arms. Yukimura took the basketball and they headed out of the park. They caught the bus and then got to the graveyard. Rika was quiet until they reached An's grave. To Yukimura it was cruel injustice. An was so young. She didn't deserve to die. No one deserved to die that young.

"You were upset at first but then you seemed to calm yourself after a day. What happened?"

"Well, they say if you truly love someone you should let them go. If they come back to you then it was meant to be. An and I weren't meant to be. It is better to let this go and not regret it" Rika explained.

"Very wise" Yukimura said.

Rika turned from the grave. She stopped when she saw a familiar figure. Tachibana Kippei stared down at her with kind eyes.

"It's nice to see you again, Rika-chan" He said, his deep voice washing over her.

"You as well, Kippei. I just came to visit An-chan" Rika said.

"She'll be happy you came"

This was what killed Yukimura on the inside. They referred the Tachibana An as if she wasn't dead. As if she was ill or sick and they had come to visit. The dead had no feelings. The dead had no more life. There was no point of coming to see their graves. They couldn't do anything to help you.

"Yukimura-san" Kippei spoke up.

"Nice to see you again, Tachibana-kun" Yukimura said.

"You too" Kippei replied.

Yukimura took Rika's hand and led her out of the graveyard. Rika didn't look back but at regular intervals she would squeeze Yukimura's hand as if in pain.

"The regulars are planning to have a dinner together. Would you like to come?" Yukimura asked.

"It won't be awkward right? I haven't spoken to them since the hospital"

"I'm sure it won't be. Niou says he knew everything right from the beginning while Yanagi said he was suspicious for some time now. Yagyuu intends to respect it while Jackal says that some people in his family are gay too. Marui is curious like Akaya but Sanada on the other hand..."

"He hates me" Rika said quietly.

"He doesn't understand. Remember, he was brought up with traditional values and opinions. He might not accept it but he'll keep his mouth shut"

"I'll come anyway. I haven't seen you all in ages and Akaya will be happy that I'm spending time with him rather than outside" Rika replied.

* * *

Yuki was delighted that her daughter had decided to go out with friends and immediately set about getting her dressed up for the occasion. Rika protested but then went along with her mother anyway. After all, this was a way that Yuki would feel connected to her daughter after all that had happened.

"So this whole bisexuality is that you like girls and guys?" Yuki asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah. It also means that its people's personalities that will attract to me, not their looks" Rika replied.

"I wish I had that when I fell for your father. I know he's your father and he gave me two lovely children but I just wish we hadn't fallen apart. He was the quiet one in college that never spoke to anyone but when I got to know him, I fell hard for him" Yuki commented.

"Why did you guys divorce? You never told Akaya and I because we were too young"

"He came to me one day when both of you were nine and told me he couldn't bear to lie to me anymore. He said he couldn't be himself around me" Yuki explained

"Does that mean he was-" "Gay? Yes he was" Rika stared at her mother in horror through the mirror.

"Don't need to look so shocked. I had suspected it from the beginning because he had no girlfriend before I met him but I thought he was saving himself for his first love. He just never acted on his feelings for a male. I was hurt but then I tried to keep us together. He just wasn't attracted to me so I let him go" Yuki wiped a tear from her eye.

"I'm sorry, mom. I had no idea otherwise I would..."

"Would what? Hide your true self from me? I'm happy you came clean, dear. You're still my daughter despite everything" Yuki said.

Rika smiled and then wiped away a few tears of her own. Yuki immediately smacked her hand away.

"You'll ruin your makeup!"


End file.
